Kings Island Adding Seven Story Water Slide Tower for 2016

Today Kings Island announced a brand new, seven story tall water slide tower that will be the focus of the park's 2016 expansion in Soak City.  The addition will bring the total number of slides at Soak City up to 36, and increase the size of the water park to 35 acres.

Named Tropical Plunge, the 65 foot tall tower will feature three different types of water slides, offering a total of six slides.  The attraction will add a great amount of additional capacity to Soak City, which is a popular Summer playground for many visitors.

© Kings Island

This rendering of Tropical Plunge shows the tangles of slides coming from two levels on the main tower.  The highest platform holds three Aqua-Launch body slides, where the floor drops out from beneath sliders, sending them plummeting downward into flat loops and S-curves.

The purple and yellow slide seen above stretches 449 feet long and consists of tight 360 degree flat loops that riders, seated on individual rafts, will curl through.  Finally, two additional 337 foot long dueling tube slides will twist through the structure then end with large drops into the splash pool.

"This will be a high-adrenaline attraction that will increase the thrill factor for our park guests," Kings Island's General Manager Greg Scheid said.  "They have been asking for new and more thrilling waterpark attractions they are able to enjoy with family members and we think this answers their feedback plus brings another element of fun to the overall experience of Kings Island."

For those who think the concept art is familiar, that's because this new tower appears to be the same as has been added at Worlds of Fun, Dorney Park and Kings Dominion in recent years.  Not that that's a bad thing, as the slides are a ton of fun and a big hit.

© Kings Island

Since the city of Mason is working on improving Kings Island Drive, which feeds visitors into the park, Kings Island will also upgrade their parking toll entrance for 2016.  The structure, which can be seen above, will feature 13 new entrance lanes and be much easier on the eye than the current entrances.  This new one will be built in the North end of the parking lot and replace both older ones.